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The following week was the most awkward and miserable week of Nines’ entire life. Not only did he have to explain that he got drunk and sucked Gavin’s dick, but he also had to explain that Gavin called it a mistake and Nines was fucking heartbroken over it. And that no, he was not going to file a request for a new partner or press charges for ‘sexual assault’.
After that, Hank became very over protective, Gavin couldn’t even speak or make eye contact with him, and Connor was being overly bubbly to try and make Nines feel better.
Currently, his brother was sitting on the edge of Nines desk babbling on about different types of fish like he was a wikipedia page. The distraction was mostly welcome if it weren’t for the fact that this was the sixth time Connor had spewed goldfish facts at him. It was all starting to blend into one and Nines was getting irritated. It seemed Connor noticed his rise in irritation so he switched to Chinchilla facts.
Out of the corner of his eye, Nines could see Gavin also getting irritated. The detective couldn’t say anything though because of the looming threat that the seemingly gentle android possessed. It was made very clear to Gavin that he was in no way allowed to hurt Nines any more than he already had.
“Hey Con,” Hank wandered over, “give your brother a break.” Connor looked up at Hank with his big puppy dog eyes and Hank shook his head. “Fine, give me a break. I can’t listen to you spilling your encyclopedia shit anymore today.”
“Oh…”
Hank groaned, “Stop looking at me like that. Come one, we have an interrogation to conduct anyway.” Connor perked up and true to his puppy dog self, followed Hank to the interrogation rooms. Fucking finally. However, that meant Nines and Gavin were left alone. Nines glanced up at Gavin who met his eye for a split second and then looked away.
Nines wanted to scream. It had been Five days, twenty-three minutes, and nineteen seconds since their sexual encounter. The encounter that Gavin had called a mistake. The encounter that broke Nines’ heart. Gavin Reed was a frustrating individual and it made Nines want to smash his face into his desk.
“REED, ANDERSON!” Fowler’s booming voice shocked Nines to attention. His head jerked up as did Gavin’s. “MY OFFICE. NOW.”
Both had never been faster to scramble out of their seats and dart to Fowler’s office. The man sounded pissed beyond belief and Nines was wondering what they did wrong. Or what someone else did wrong that it was now being taken out on the pair.
Fowler gestured to the two chairs sitting in front of him and the pair sat. “Do either of you know why we’re being called in?” Nines shook his head but Gavin looked away guiltily.
Fowler saw and frowned at Nines, “You don’t know.”
Panic bloomed in Nines’ chest and he found himself looking between Fowler and Gavin.
“Cap-” Gavin started but Fowler held up his hand.
“Detective Reed has filed a request for a new partner.”
Nines heart dropped to his stomach. Gavin had hated what they had done so much that he requested for a new partner. His LED was spinning a bright red and his stress levels rose into dangerous territory.
Fowler continued, “Seeing as you didn’t know that- I’m guessing something personal happened between the two of you. Is that right?”
Nines wanted to answer but he couldn’t. It felt like his whole body had frozen like a virus had taken over and was destroying him from the inside.
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on with you two,” Fowler threatened, “but you’d better fucking fix it. Understand?”
“Yes Captain,” Gavin grumbled.
“Good, now get the fuck out of my office.”
Nines was out of the office faster than Gavin. He was at a loss of what to do. He couldn’t face Gavin, not right now but there was nowhere he could really go. It wasn’t like he could go home, that was a terrible idea. He also didn’t want to disrupt Hank and Connor’s interrogation. However, that was the more preferable solution. He beelined for the rooms.
“H-hey,” Gavin tried to catch up to him, “Look I-”
“I can’t speak to you right now,” Nines answered coldly. He didn’t like speaking to Gavin that way but it was the only way that he was going to be able to keep his emotions in check. Nines left Gavin standing and gaping in the hallway.
The door to the observation room was unlocked so Nines stepped in and found it empty. Good. He locked the door behind him and sank into a chair. His thoughts began to swirl after that. Maybe he should just let Gavin file for a new partner- hell, maybe she should file a request himself. It would be easy enough to tell Fowler that they couldn’t work it out. That line of thinking made his stomach queasy. He didn’t want a new partner. He wanted Gavin.
“Son?” Nines looked up and saw that the door had been opened and Hank was standing in the doorway. “Connor said he noticed you’d walked in. What’s going on?”
Nines swallowed. He didn’t want to be talking to him like he was fragile because it only made the pit in his stomach grow larger. He was dangerously close to shedding saline.
“Do you need a hug?” Hank asked kneeling down in front of Nines.
Mutely, Nines nodded and felt Hank’s warm arms wrapping around him. He hugged back and then with his voice muffled by his father’s stupidly patterned shirt, “Gavin requested for a new partner.”
Hank pulled away in shock. “What? How do you know?”
Nines kept his hands busy with Hank’s sleeves, “Flower called us into his office and told me. He said that we need to fix whatever is going on with us.”
“I hate to say it but the man’s right,” Hank said. “You and Gavin should talk.”
The android let out a soft sigh. He knew that Hank was right but he couldn’t bring himself to actually get up and talk to his idiot partner.
“You don’t have to answer me,” Hank started, “but are you in love with him?”
“I-” Nines hesitated, “I certainly like him in a way that is beyond friendship.”
Hank gave him a small smile, “I thought so. You know, I’m not the biggest Gavin Reed fan and frankly I’d love to punch him for what he did to you but I also know that’s not going to accomplish anything. I’ve also known him since he started as a rookie and so I know that he likes you too. He’s just not great at showing it. And if my paternal instincts are right, you both could use a little communication.”
----
Unsurprisingly, Nines found Gavin mopping in the break room nursing a cup of coffee and fiddling with a doughnut.
“ Hank said communication is key,” Nines reminded himself as he approached his partner. “I can do this.”
Nines cleared his throat, “Hey uh, do you want to split that doughnut?”
Gavin glanced up at Nines, “What the fuck? You don’t eat.”
“Oh… uh, never mind, I thought- Sorry.” Nines blurted out loudly and as fast as he could terrified that Gavin was going to leave or throw a punch after his fuck up.
Gavin’s eyes widened with realization, “No, no! Gay! Me gay.” He winced. It was the worst excuse he could give but he needed Nines to stay.
Nines eyes went wide, “I know! Uh, me gay too!” He ignored the horrified stares of Hank and Connor- who happened to walk in at that moment.
Gavin looked both shocked and delighted, “T-that’s great!” He proffered the pastry, “Doughnut?”
“Don’t eat,” Nines reminded him sheepishly.
“Oh, right. Um…” Gavin sucked in a deep breath. “Sorry. Me stupid. Me like you. A lot.”
“Me like you a lot too.” Nines replied softly. He glanced at Gavin and then took a chance, “Me want to date you.”
Gavin’s expression was worried but there was hope in his eyes, “R-really?”
Nines nodded, “Really.”
“You, date me?”
Hank groaned, “Okay cave people. You’re done. Nines, let’s go home. Gavin, he’ll be ready for you at eight.”
“YeAh! I mean, yeah. Whatever. Cool. I- uh, I’ll see you at eight, tin can.”